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Let’s be real; there are a LOT of ghosts in the Fatal Frame series.
Each of them has their own scare factor, so to speak. Because there are so many, it is tough doing a top 5 of them, so instead of positing them like that, I’m going talk about how these five ghosts managed to leave more than just an terrifying impression. As it has been a fair bit since I’ve delved into this series (which is actually one of my favorite horror series), I’m summating a bit from the wiki when it comes to these ghosts.
Blinded Maiden (Fatal Frame) Himuro Mansion, like the other places in the Fatal Frame series, was well known for its rituals. Two rituals—Demon Tag and the aptly named Blinding Ritual—play a role in choosing the Blinded Maiden. If you’re a young girl living at the mansion at the age of 7 and you got tagged first in Demon Tag, guess what? You’re now chosen to be the Blinded Maiden.
Ten years later, on November 26th, the Blinding Ritual takes place. You’re then taken to a blinding room where two priests hold you down as a mask with GIANT STAKES is jammed into your eyes. The ritual is done as a means of weakening the evil spirits beyond the Hell Gate deep in the mansion.
Fighting her is NOT fun thing. When you see her, she is feeling her way around, trying to find out where you are. Take a picture of her, though and she’ll ZOOM straight towards you. Pray that you don’t have your camera up when she does; it’s TERRIFYING when it happens. To add to this, she does one thing that she sometimes does when she misses you: Teleport. Right. Behind. You. I remember when I fought her and heard that intense whine like, I knew she was near, but didn’t know where she was until I turned around.
Kyouka Kuze (Fatal Frame 3) Commonly known in Fatal Frame 3 as the Woman Brushing, Kyouka Kuze was the daughter of the head of the Kuze Shrine, Yashuu Kuze. Her major role was producing heirs to the Kuze Shrine, and for that to happen, men (whom were forbidden in the Kuze Shrine) were allowed entry to see her. One such man named Akito Kashiwagi was invited, and the two of them fell in love. Unfortunately, Akito had to be sent away, but the two promised to meet each other again. That would never happen.
Two children later (one born under Akito, the other whom is unknown), she’s still thinking about him in her solitude. She would continue to brush her hair, which Akito was fond of, and would sometimes remove clumps of it. She would continue pining for him and thinking about him up until she’s taken by the Rift.
All of this is evidenced in how she faces you when you do encounter her. She’s often seen turning away from you and throwing clumps of her own hair at you. From this, you can barely see her face, but it’s surprisingly serene. Then you hear this: “I won’t let you go…” As she says this, she swoops downward towards you then comes up to “embrace” you. By this time, blood can be seen pouring from her eyes and mouth…but her smile is still there.
If you think that’s bad, consider the surprise you get when you take a picture of her in her room.
Koji (Spirit Camera)The Purple Diary is a diary that is left at the doorsteps of folk. Inside are photos and words…words that shouldn’t be there. Those that can see them are whisked away into it, and then found again. Only when they’re found, they don’t have a face anymore. We’re not talking Koh the Facestealer kind of face stealing; this kind is a bit more gruesome.
Remember the Spirit Camera article from a couple of years back? It involved a particular Masked Boy. Said boy is named Koji, and he found himself trapped in the Purple Diary. He knows of the urban legend, thus which is why he wears a mask: to protect him. He invites you and Maya, the spirit who helps guide you, to play Hide-and-Seek as he hides within the diary. Should you lose, you will end up like him.
Unfortunately, due to your playing, the antagonist found him, and stole his face. When he finds you again, you see dripping blood…and look up and see him. A stark contrast to when you first found him. Not only is he creepy to look at, having his face freshly ripped up, but he’s also incredibly pissed at you. All while accompanied by a giddy, childlike laugh in the background.
Ayako (Fatal Frame 4)Ayako…frig, what can I say about this particular ghost other than WHY?! This is based off of other vids of her that I’ve seen in the past; she is an interesting ghost in that she was…well, incredibly unpleasant in life. Granted, she was a patient at Haibara Hospital (the location of the 4th game) suffering from the main disease that’s one of the focal points of the game, but she gets an twisted sense of joy out of hurting others.
One of the most iconic cutscenes in the game is when you first encounter her in your room. Her room is nothing to sneeze at either, as it’s covered in hanging doll parts and has a deceptively warm yellow lamp with dancing images on the walls. Misaki, the character you are playing as at that time, investigates the room and at one point Ayako shows up behind the lamp. When Misaki turns to look at it, there’s nothing, but as she approaches it, Ayako DROPS DOWN FROM THE CEILING!
I saw this during a 4pp playthrough and I remember screaming. And don’t let her cute innocent child act fool you when she’s walking towards you.
Sae Kurosawa (Fatal Frame 2)Oh god…
Sae, twin of Yae Kurosawa (whom you see in the first Fatal Frame as Yae Munakata) was sacrificed to the Hellish Abyss as part of the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual to keep a great disaster—called the Repentance—from happening. This type of ritual was always done with twins ‘round 15 years old. The older twin strangles the younger twin, as a means of “reuniting one’s soul” and also appeasing said Hellish Abyss. Repeated failures bring about doom (As with many rituals in the Fatal Frame series).
Sae’s is a special case in that her twin, Yae, was not there to strangle her. Yae was completely opposed to the ritual, and wanted none to do with it. They were given the chance to escape by one of the earlier living twins, Itsuki. However, Sae slipped and was taken back to the village, hoping that Yae would return. Return, she did not. Because she was killed solo, the ritual failed, and thus ALL FRIGGIN HELL BROKE LOOSE on Minakami Village.
When you first meet her, it is in the Great Hall of the Kurosawa House in the village. It’s not a normal meeting though; it’s part of a cutscene. Mio unknowingly bumps into a body that was not there before. She looks to the ground to find that there are…quite a bit of bodies on the floor. And in the very center of the room is Sae…with a bloody white kimono…and laughing. The laugh is utterly terrifying. When I first played this game and saw this, I nearly froze with the controller in hand. Sure, I had to move when the Kusabi (the thing that’s behind her when you first spot her) but her laugh, scream, and everything else just terrified me.
And later in the game when you encounter her, you LOSE her camera after trying to take a picture of her…and nothing shows. Not to mention she’ll kill you instantly if she touches you, the fact that you cannot defend yourself at all ramps everything up to “FUCK THIS SHIT” mode.
Let’s not get into fighting her, where there is always creeping blood around her…
So yeah…I may be a bit of a puss when talking about these ghosts, but these ghosts DEFINITELY made their mark in more ways than one…especially Sae.
--Chocothunda (10/17/14)
Sources: Zero Wiki, spiritcamera.nintendo.com, Fatalframe.wikia.com, Youtube (for the vids)
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